Jewelry: What You Need To Know

By Anna U Purginton


If you simply must have a new ring, necklace, or pair of earrings but cannot afford to spend thousands, you should spend a whole day visiting local pawn shops in the area. Pawn shops are notorious for offering excellent and affordable deals on pre-owned jewelry and generally are required to certify and verify the quality of stones and metals in each piece.

When you clean your jewelry, be sure to dry it and polish it before returning it to storage. This is especially true for gold and silver jewelry. The metal can tarnish if left damp. The stones in your jewelry will also develop water stains if they are put away with water on them.

Ask your salesperson how they recommend you clean your new purchases. Different gemstones require different care processes. Your salesperson is most likely the best person to tell you great care methods for your individual piece. Knowing these methods can greatly increase the lifespan of your jewelry pieces, and keep them looking new for much longer.

When purchasing precious gemstones, be sure to ask whether they are genuine, natural stones, if this is important to you. The distinction between natural gemstones and "created" or synthetic ones is not always apparent, and some jewelers will not necessarily point it out to you. Created and synthetic stones are not fakes, but they are created in a laboratory rather than pulled from deep within the earth.

Never use bleach to clean your jewelry. Not only is bleach going to make your item permanently discolored and can damage its original appearance, but the bleach will cause a reaction with the metal that will weaken the strength of the item. Also keep away from items that have acetone and ammonia as they too will harm your jewelry items.

Everyone knows that diamonds are a girls' best friend and all other pieces of jewelry take second place. Now you need to act on that. You cannot ever go wrong with a diamond. If all else fails, this is the perfect piece of jewelry to buy for that special someone.

Deep, rich blue sapphires are commonly known as the birthstone for those born in September. Their dark, mysterious coloring is often thought to have protective powers over anyone who wears the gem in their rings, bracelets, or brooches. Blue sapphire nicely complements purples and deep scarlet accents and looks beautiful with all settings, but especially platinum or silver.

As you have seen, buying or selling jewelry has various things to consider before starting. They just vary depending on what you are looking to do. All it takes to decide what to do is some research and legwork to find the best pieces and to sell more pieces for profit.




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